Folding cabinet



D. P. KNAPP, JR

FOLDING CABINET Dec. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June l5, 1952 SN. Nk

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FOLDING CABINET Filed June 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www@ United States Patent() 2,726,129 FOLDING CABINET Davia P. Knapp, Jr., Birmingham, Ala. v

Application June 13, 1952,.Serial No. 293,296

2 claims. (ci. 312-258) This invention relates to cabinets, and more particularly sheet metal cabinets adapted to be'folded for convenience in shipping and being arranged for easy assembly for use by the ultimate owner.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved cabinet adapted to be folded tota compact size for shipping, said cabinet being simple in construction, being easy to assemble, and beingsturdy in construction. i v

A further object of theinvention is'to provide an improved metal cabinet adapted to be readily folded to a compact size for convenience in transportation and to reduce the cost of shipping thereof, said cabinet being inexpensive to manufacture, being easy to set up for use, and being neat in appearance. j y

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved cabinet constructed in accordance with the-present invention, shown set up for use. 1' 1 Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main body` portion of the cabinet of Figure 1, shown inl folded position for transportation, one of the front doors of the cabinet being removed to facilitate illustration of the constructional details of the main cabinet member.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the major components of the cabinet of Figure 1, shown in separated positions, preparatory to nal assembly after the main body portion of the cabinet has been unfolded to its extended position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational A view showing portions of the marginal elements of the main body member of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional detail view taken through one of the doors of the cabinet of Figure l, showing the reinforced construction thereof.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the side portions of the cabinet showing the manner in which the side panel is engaged on the cabinet side portion during the assembly of the cabinet.

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional detail view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure l and showing the manner in which the side panel is engaged around the side portion of the main body member of the cabinet.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevational view of an upper front corner portion of the front wall element of the cabinet.

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

Figure 10 is an enlarged front elevational fragmentary detail view illustrating the construction of the lower left corner portion of the cabinet of Figure l.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated cabinet is designated generally at 11 and comprises a foldable main body 12 and the respective side panels 13, 13 which are detachably secured to the side portions of the main lee f Y the vertical forwardly projecting side anges 15, 15 and cabinet.

a plurality of rectangular shelves 16 and a top panel 17 of identical shape with the shelves, having their rear corners received between the side flanges 15 and being pivotally connected thereto, as by rivets 18. As shown in Figure 3, the shelves 16 and the top panel 17 are provided with the depending side flanges 19, and the rivets 18 extend through the end portions of said anges 19. Designated generally at 20 is a front frame which ycomprises respective vertical channel-shaped corner posts 21, 21, said corner posts being provided with the side anges 22 opposing the ilanges 15 of the back wall panel 14. The front corners of the top panel 17 and the shelves 16 are received between the anges 22 and are pivotally connected thereto, as by the rivets 23. As shown in Figure 3, the rivets 23 extend through the depending anges 19 of the shelves 16 and the top panel 17, as well as through the anges 22 of the posts 21.

'I'he posts 21 are rigidly connected at their top ends by a horizontally extending at bar 24 having the beveled ends 25 overlapping the top ends of the posts 21 and being welded thereto. The horizontal bar 24 is formed with the depending, rearwardly oiset flange 26, and the post members 21 are likewise formed with the rearwardly offset flanges 27 which are in the same plane as the oiset ange 26 of top bar 24. Rigidly secured to the lower portions of the anges 27 are the respective ends of the flat, relatively wide horizontal bottom plate 28, which rigidly connects the lower portions of the post members 21, 21, thereby rigidifying the front frame 20. Designated at 29, 29 are the respective front doors hinged to the posts 21, 21 and dening closure means for the As shown in Figure 5, each door 29 may comprise a sheet metal plate formed with the inturned marginal flanges 30, 30 and rigidited by the vertical longitudinal inner reinforcing channel 31 welded to its inside surface at the anges 32, 32 of the reinforcing channel 31, as clearly shown in Figure 5. c l

Each of theiside panels 13 comprises a generally rectangular body of sheet metal formed with a top ange 33, a flat vertical laterally inwardly projecting rear marginal flange 34 and a laterally inwardly projecting channel-shaped front marginal flange 35. The side panels 13 are adapted to t closely over the side portions of the body 12 when said body is in its expanded position, as shown in Figure 3, with the channel-shaped anges 35 of the side panels itting closely over the posts 21 and the rear flanges 34 of the side panels engaged around the rear corners of the body in the manner shown in Figures 6 and 7. The side panels 13 are formed in the channel flanges 35 at 36 with bolt holes, a pair of bolt holes being located respectively near the top and bottom of each side panel, as shown in Figure 3. The bolt holes 36 in the short ange of the channel anges 35 are adapted to register with similar bolt holes provided in the inside ange of the posts 21 so that bolts may be engaged therethrough for securing the anges 35 to the posts 21 and so that said bolts will be subsequently concealed by the doors 29. Similarly, bolt holes are provided in the top and bottom corner portions of the rear panel 14 which are arranged to register with the bolt holes 36 in the top and Lbottom portions of the anges 34 to receive suitable securing bolts for securing the rear ilanges 34 to the rear panel 14.

When the cabinet is to be transported, the main body 12 may be collapsed to a substantially at condition, as shown in Figure 2, after removal of the side panels, and the side panels 13, 13 may be packed along with the collapsed main body 12 in a substantially at package of relatively small volume. When the cabinet is to be assembled, the main body l2 is unfolded to the expanded position thereof shown in Figure 3, and the side panels 13, 13 are engaged over the side portions of said main body, in the manner shown in Figures 6 and 7, said side panels are then fastened to the main body by means of the bolts above mentioned which are engageable through the bolt holes 36 and throgii the registering holes provided therefor in the posts ZI and the upper and lower corner portions of the rear panel 14. It will be readily apparent that the cabinet may' be assembled in a relatively short period of time, and with only a small eripenditure of effort, and furthermore vthat only eight bolts are required to secure the side panels I3, 13 to the sides of the main body I2 to complete the assembly. p

As4 shown in Figure 3, the inner elements 37 of the channel-shaped ilang'es 35 are siiitably notched at 38 and 39 to accommodate hinges connecting the doors 2`9, Z9 to' the frame posts 21, 21. A

While a specific embodimentof an improved foldable cabinet has been disclosed in the foregoing description7 it will be understood that various modifications witliin the spirit of the invention may occur to' those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intendedthat no limitations be placed on the invention except as dellned by the scope' of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a foldable cabinet, a back panel having side edges and an upper edge, forwardly projecting' side and top flanges o`n said side and upper edges, a plurality f vertically spaced shelves having front andV rear corners, the rear lcorners of the shelves being pivotedl to said side anges forwardly of the back panel, a top panel having front and rear corners', the rear corners of the top panel being pivotedA to the back panel side ilanges above the shelves, a front frame positioned forwardly of the shelves, said' front frame comprising vertical side posts and top and bottom horizontal bars extending between a'nd fixed to upper and lowery portions ofthe posts, s'aid posts comprising channels having laterally inwardly, projecting ilanges and rearwardly' projecting anges, the forward corners of the shelves and of the top panel being pivoted to the rearwardly projecting llanges of the frame posts, doors in said frame having laterally outward side edges hinged to the channel`s, removable side panels having back and front vertical edges, laterally inwardlyv projecting Vllanges on the' ba'clt edges of the side panels engaged behind the back panel, channel ilanges on the front edges Of the' Side p'a'l'll r'l'g'a'gblll'rld the' front frre channels, first securing means separably connecting the side panel channel flanges to the front frame channels, and second securing means separably connecting the side panels to said back panel.

2. In a foldable cabinet, a back panel having side edges and an upper edge, forwardly projecting side and top ilanges on said side and upper edges, a plurality of vertically spaced shelves having front and rear corners, the rear cornersof the shelves being pivoted to said side flanges forwardly of the back panel, a top panel having front and rear corners, the rear corners o'f the top panel being pivoted to' the back panel' side flanges above the shelves, a front frame positioned forwardly of the shelves, said front frame comprising vertical side posts and top and bottom horizontal bars extending between and xed to upper and lower portions of the posts, said posts comprisrig channels having laterallyA inwardly projecting flanges' andrearwardly proecting flanges, the forward corners ofthe shelves" and of the top panel being pivoted to the rearwardly projecting flanges of the frame posts, doors in said frame' having laterally outward side edges hinged'to the' channelsremovableside' panels having back and front vertical edges, laterally inwardly projecting tl'ange's on the back edges' of the side panels engaged behind the back panel, channelflanges on the front edges of the' side panels engageable around the front frame channels, first securing means separably connecting the sideV panel channel ilang'es to the front frame channels, and second secrin'g means" separably connecting the side panels to said" back panel, said first and second securing means comprising removable bolts.

References circa-in the are' of this patent U'TTD' STATES PATENTS 172,513 Smith .;n lan. 18, 1876 975,096 Wrenn Nov. 8, 1910 1,523,653 Larson' et al f Ian. 20, 1925 1,602,410l Hambli1:i" l Oct. 12, 1926 1,727,04S Cady Sept. 3, 1929 2,197,789' Dalton l Apr. 23, 1940 FOREGN PATENTS 17,950 Great Britain s 1910 

